CRUSHED BY MOTOR

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 26, 26 October 1926, Page 8

CRUSHED BY MOTOR

OLD LADY KILLED CAR STARTS UNEX. PECTEDLY Dominion Special. Christchurch, October 25. Started apparently when it was in gear, a motor-car shot forward on Sumner Esplanade yesterday afternoon and crushed an elderly woman who was on a seat against one of the Memorial lamps. She was _ Mrs. Matilda Featherstone, aged 65, wife of Captain Tl. Featherstone, harbourmaster at Kaiapoi. Mrs. Featherstone was visiting Sumner with her daughter, Mrs. Jartiu, of Redcliffs. About 5 p.m Mr. Henry Neale, of Springston, proceeded to start his car, which was parked on the Esplanade. When the self-starter was depressed the car jumped forward and headed for the sea wall. The driver swung the wheel sharply to the left, and the car bumped over the kerbing round a Norfolk Island pine, hit the seat on which the two women were sitting, and carried the splintered woodwork and twisted iron up against a heavy stone lamp. Mrs. Featherstone was killed instantly. She was caught by the fender and crushed against the stone lamp standard. Afro. "Martin had her legs injured by the splintered seat, which was carried about a car’s length until the car was halted against the post. An inquest was opened to-day, and adjourned.